Air-cooled socket for electron tubes



Jan. 22, 1952 w. w. EITEL ETAL 2,583,417

AIR-COOLED SOCKET FOR ELECTRON TUBES Filed NOV. 24, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l a a s E 2 M E 5 G a E 2/ 5 L E 5 E 15 l r 9 I 4 5 /7/////////////A57l4- Il Z'l7 I /4 Ii! g i 71-10 0-. W 5 /6 /6 /l E 5 /7 E a INVENTOR. k/l/lla n M. E/fc/ BY Jdtk :9. Nclu/Zouyfi ATTORNEY 2 2 6 a a 32552522.55.5225. Ea: if/4 9 I am y b u EA M. 5 m AU 2 v w,

W. W. EITEL ETAL AIR-COOLED SOCKET FOR ELECTRON TUBES F v m M an ..,,.g,.....2...=i....ia..iea:. 1 w m 9 W Jan. 22, 1952 Filed Nov. 24, 1947 INVENTOR. M Exfe/ BY 542/231: 0170 096 147 TORE Y Patented Jan. 22, 1952 William w. Eicei-woodside, and Jack -A. Meow lough, Millbrae, Calif.,

assignors to Eitel' McCullough, Inc., San Bruno, Cali! a, corporation oi California Application November 24, 1947;smiu No. 787,744

. 2 Claims. (01. 11-4-16).

Our invention relates to an improved socket for electron tubes having terminals on the base thereof.

The broad object of our invention is to provide a socket for making electrical connections with the base terminals of the tube andalso for supplying air to cool the base and upper portions of the tube. a

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of our invention. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to this disclosure of species of our invention, as we may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the improved cooling socket; and

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a modification.

In terms of broad inclusion the cooling socket embodying our invention comprises a chamber for receiving the base terminals of an electron tube, connector means on the chamber engageable with the terminals, and an inlet for admitting air to the chamber. An outlet is provided for exhausting air from the chamber, and means is preferably provided for directing the exhausted air along the upper portions of the tube. With a tube having ventilating passages in the base the air from the chamber is preferably exhausted through such passages.

In greater detail and referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, our cooling socket is illustrated in conjunction with an electron tube having a glass envelope 2 and a base 3 carrying pin-type terminals 4 which connect with electrodes in the envelope. Only two base terminals are shown for purposes of simplicity. Actually, four or more such terminals are usually present for making connection with the various electrodes such as a cathode and one or more grids in the envelope. In the tube illustrated a lead 6 is sealed to the upper end of the envelope for making connection with another electrode such as an anode. These details of the tube structure are subject to wide variation, it being understood that our socket may be used with any type of tube having terminals, either of the pin-type, or otherwise, at the base portions of the tube.

The socket comprises a chamber 1 for receiving the terminals 4, which chamber preferably has metallic side walls 8 and an integral top wall 9. This top wall is substantially flat to provide p 2 a seat for therim of tube base 3 and has a circular aperture l0 providing an opening through which terminals 4 project. Suitable clips having fingers l5" engageable with the tube base 3 are secured to top wall 9 for positioning the tubewith respect to aperture. Only one clip is shown in- Figure 1, it being understood that several are suitably spaced about the base. Bottom wall ll of the chamber is of a suitable insulating material disposed to lie below terminals 4 and secured to the side walls as by screws I2. Connector means are provided on wall II for engagement with terminals 4. The means illustrated comprises spring clips l3 engageable with the terminal pins and fastened to the bottom wall by screws l4. Tabs 16 held by the screws under the bottom wall provide soldering lugs for making the circuit connections.

An inlet duct I1 is provided for admitting air to the chamber. This duct may be connected to any suitable source of air under pressure such as a blower for delivering the required amount of cooling air to the socket. Since terminals 4 and the connector means therefor are disposed with- F in the chamber 1, these parts are cooled by the air flowing in through duct 11. In the operation of an electron tube considerable heat is conducted out of the envelope to the terminals, particularly from the hot electrodes such as the cathode or filament. With ordinary sockets such conducted heat is confined at the socket and undue heating occurs which causes damage to the tube. In our improved socket this heat is removed and the performance capabilities of the tube are enhanced.

Outlet means are also provided for exhausting the air from chamber 1, and means are also preferably provided for directing the exhausted air along the upper portions of the tube for cooling the envelope 2. In the socket shown in Figure 1 the air is exhausted alongside the tube base 3 through an aperture la in top wall 9. Several of these outlet apertures are provided, spaced about the tube base between the clips l5. A chimney l9, preferably of a vitreous material such as glass, is disposed about the tube and outlets [8 to direct the air upwardly along the tube. This chimney rests on top wall 9 and is held in position by a finger 2| on the same clip which centers the tube. An inturned flange 22 on the upper end of the chimney serves to deflect the air inwardly toward the upper lead 6. Maximum use is thus made of the air, and cooling of all parts of the tube is assured. all with the use of but a single blower.

3 Figure 2 shows a modified socket construction for a tube having vent passages through the base. such as a tube having vent holes 23 and 24 in the bottom and side flange of the base. In this case the aperture I0 communicates with vent holes 23 and provides an outlet for exhausting air from chamber I through the base passages. The air discharging from vent holes 24 is then directed upwardly along the tube by chimney I9.

We claim: 1. A cooling socket for an electron tube having a basei. with terminals thereon, comprising a chamber for receiving the terminals, said chamher having a top wall apertured to provide an opening through which the terminals project under pressure to the chamber, the apertured top wall providing an outlet for exhausting air from the chamber, and a chimney on the top wall receiving air from said outlet, said chimney surrounding and extending substantially the entire length 01' the tube for directing the exhauste air along the same.

2. A cooling socket for an electron tube having a base with terminals thereon and ventilat-' ing passages therethru, comprising a chamber for receiving the terminals, said chamber having atop wall apertured to provide an opening through which the terminals project and having a. bottom wall below the terminals, connector means on the bottom wall engageable with the terminals, an inlet for admitting air under pressure to the chamber, said opening in the top wall communicating with the ventilating passages of the tube base for exhausting air from the chamber through said passages, and a chimney on the top wall receiving air from said tube passages. said chimney surrounding and extending substantially the entire length of the tube for directing the exhausted air along the same.

WILLIAM W. EITEL. JACK A. MCCULLOUGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the the of this patent: 

